In 2012, our founder Navyn Salem visited Niger in the Sahel to visit nutrition clinics and see the impact of Plumpy'Nut firsthand. Before she even landed, she was immediately struck by the parched land and dry riverbed she saw outside the airplane window. She took the photo that I am sharing in this update.

Three years later, the countries of the Sahel are still struggling to overcome the effects of living in such a harsh climate. The unfortunate consequence of continuous droughts is children not getting enough nutritious foods to help them survive and thrive. A child's growing body requires forty vitamins and minerals to achieve good health. That's what Plumpy'Nut helps provide in packets that are ready to go. At UNICEF-supported nutrition centers throughout the Sahel region, they are a godsend because they don't need the addition of water and won't spoil in the heat. And they work miracles. A severely malnourished child on the brink of death can fully recover in about seven weeks.

I wanted to let you know that in 2015, we have already shipped about 20,000 cartons of Plumpy'Nut from our Providence, Rhode Island factory to the Sahel region of Africa, specifically in Mali, Senegal, and Burkina Faso. This means that about 20,000 children benefitted from this life-saving peanut paste. Thank you for helping make these efforts all the more possible.

If you are interested in learning more about the Sahel and the staggering numbers of children whose lives are in danger, please also see the link to a recent article about the dire situation in the Sahel.

"I already lost one child," says this mother in Chad "simply because I did not know what to do."

"Now we recognize malnutrition. That makes the difference."

These powerful quotes come from a recent video that I wanted to share with you today. It was first shared by the United Nation's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. It highlights two important things: 1. The crisis of malnutrition taking place in the Sahel (over 5.8 million children are malnourished - 1.4 million severely) and 2. The importance of education in eradicating childhood malnutrition in the region.

This mother experienced the heartbreak of losing a child because the traditional healer she first visited did not know about the causes of malnutrition or the available treatments. Now, thanks to the community health workers at her local nutrition clinic - and the availability of lifesaving treatments like Plumpy'Nut - she is educated and her surviving child is well on his way to good health.

Since the beginning of 2015, Edesia has shipped nearly 40,000 boxes to benefit children living in the Sahel region of Africa. This is enough to help treat about 40,000 severely malnourished children, since one box equals the average 7-week treatment for one child.

As always, I wanted to thank you for making our work to help end childhood malnutrition in this region all the more possible. Your continued support of our project is much appreciated.

According to a recent news report from the United Nations (see link below), at the beginning of 2014, there were 1.3 displaced people in the Sahel region of Africa. Now, as we come to the end of the year, that number has risen dramatically to 3.3 million.

This is troubling number, which, when broken down into its human elements, means that thousands of children are at risk of dying from malnutrition directy or diseases where malnutrition is the underlying cause.

It is for these vulnerable children, in danger of never growing up to achieve their true potential, that Edesia's factory in Providence, Rhode Island is working 24 hours a day. Our work is to make peanut-based, therapeutic foods that help children living in crisis cope, survive, and - hopefully - thrive.

I wanted to update you and let you know that since June of this year, we have shipped 59,665 boxes of Plumpy'Nut to the Sahel region. This is enough to potentially treat 59,665 severely malnourished children, since one box, containing 150 foil packets, is exactly what a severely malnourished child needs to recover his or her health.

As we come to the end of the year, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for continuing to support these children through our GlobalGiving project. Your generousity and kindness makes our efforts all the more possible.

It has been a busy time at Edesia's factory in Providence, Rhode Island. We have been making our lifesaving ready-to-use foods 24 hours out of each work day, because so many children around the world suffering from acute malnutrition need our help.

Since the start of 2014, we have shipped out 66,581 boxes of Plumpy'Nut to countries in the Sahel region of Africa, including to Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, and Mauritania. That means that we have potentially helped save the lives of 66,581 children, because each carton contains 150 sachets - the exact amount needed to bring a severely malnourished child back to health.

You might also like to know that we have shipped 64,600 boxes of Plumpy'Sup to this region. This product is very similar to Plumpy'Nut in composition and calories but is formulated to benefit children who have moderate acute malnutrition, a slightly less severe diagnosis; 64,600 boxes is enough to help treat 161,500 children.

Thank you for continuing to support our project. Your help makes our work to deliver the highest quality ready-to-use foods to the hardest-to-reach places on earth all the more possible.

The Sahel region of Africa is vast, spanning nine countries—Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal. In the attached video, Fabienne Pompey, of the World Food Programme, reminds us that there are five million children younger than five in the region who urgently need help recovering from severe malnutrition.

No single organization can reach all five million children alone, but we can each do our part. Your donations to Edesia help us to send more supplies of Plumpy'Nut and Plumpy'Sup to our humanitarian partners, which means more children can be reached.

Here is an update on how many cartons we have shipped to the Sahel region since the start of 2014:

About Project Reports

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